"Major sporting events such as the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the media attention given to the swimming team and their hair-free bodies in particular, drew focus to male body hair removal.”

Overall, one in five (19%) men claim they feel expected to remove hair from their torso, while around the same number (18%) say they feel the pressure to remove hair from their underarms and 13% from their legs.

As many as six in ten (59%) consumers believe it looks unprofessional for men to have an ungroomed face in the workplace.

“The impact of fashion on the shaving and hair removal market can also not be ignored with celebrities, such as Ryan Gosling, sporting impeccably groomed beards,” said Libby.

Immaculately groomed: Ryan Gosling (Image: WENN)

"In terms of sales, whilst the shaving and hair removal market was impacted by price promotions and fashion leading away from a clean shave in 2013, it has returned to growth with sales of an estimated £624 million in 2014, up 2.1% from sales in 2013 which reached £611 million.

“Innovation in the shaving and hair removal market continues to focus on male-oriented products, with a particular trend towards male body hair removal and a return to tradition-inspired shaving and facial hair grooming.”

Ladies have long felt the need to stay smooth but it seems pressure on them to shave body hair is increasing with almost three quarters (73%) of all UK consumers believing there is more pressure nowadays. Just 8% of women have not removed hair in the UK in the past 12 months.

Some 82% of women remove hair from their legs, while a further 78% remove hair from their underarms and 57% from their pubic region.

Arm hair is razed by 15% of ladies, 7% shave their feet, 4% their chests, 3% their bottoms and 2% do their back.

“The shaving and hair removal market is benefiting from the social norm for body hair to be removed," said Libby

Movember reigns: A number of charity initiatives have led to a trend for refusing to groom some body hair (Image: Getty)

When it comes to technique, 80% of Brits remove hair by wet shaving, the next most popular method of hair removal is plucking (51%).

Some 40% dry shave while 45% have opted for manual trimming (eg with scissors). Just 3% of Brits who have removed hair have used laser hair removal at home, the same number have visited the salon for laser hair removal.

One in ten Brits admit to sharing shaving preparation products with their partner.

And finally, in search of the hairiest geographical region, those living in Wales (27%) are most likely to say they have not removed hair from their body in the last 12 months.

In contrast, just 14% of consumers in the North West say they have not removed hair in the last 12 months.